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Hello everyone! We are getting close to release now with preorder started a few days ago.
When we posponed HOI4 release it was mostly a question of getting more time for programmers to fix bugs, which left our scripters and artists a little underused. We figured we would put this to use on adding more flavor and fun for some minor. We have a lot of polish players, so focusing on Poland seemed to be a good idea. We werent sure if we would get this complete on time, and since we wanted to see if this kind of content packs would be well received we figured the best idea was to make it a separate DLC from the base game. Things worked out and it got ready on time, so we decided we should just release it to everyone for free (this isn't just for preorder, you will get it whenever you buy HOI4, forever).
If this is popular we hope this is the first of a series of packs we'll make as DLC in the future.

So, what does it contain?
Focus tree.
2D art for tanks & planes, complete with flavor names.
2D art for ministers, generals and country leaders.
3D art for infantry and some more well known tanks and planes
Some achievements & events.

Polish Focuses
We had two rules when we designed these, first that the Polish focus tree could not be worse than the neutral one and secondly we felt it could not depend on other people's focus trees.

We made sure that all the benefits you get from neutral tree are still there, but made sure that they carried a lot more Polish flavour. In the end we were able to do some really cool things with Poland. The industrialization efforts of Poland are mainly based a short term national investment called the Four Year Plan. Parts of this plan included heavy investment in infrastructure, activation of the Old Polish Industrial Region and developing the Central Industrial Region. We have taken inspiration from the plan and implemented its different parts as branches of the Polish focus tree.

We also focused on the fact that Poland was way ahead of other countries when it came to the decryption of the German Enigma machine. To reflect this, Poland gets special focuses that give them them bonuses in computing and decryption.

When it came to diplomacy we wanted to add additional options for a Polish player who is surrounded by threats. Although we cannot stop Germany and the USSR from trying to carve up Poland (those focuses are elsewhere), we did feel we could have Poland seek accommodation with either power. If you play your cards right this could also lead to an alliance with them (which blocks the “carve up” focuses for that side).

That isn't the most interesting path, however, as digging around in history we stumbled across a rather ambitious Polish plan, called the Between the Seas Concept. This was a proposed alliance of countries between the Baltic, the Black Sea and the Mediterranean (one suggestion including Italy, no less). The idea ultimately failed due to a whole number of reasons which are too many to mention.

Still, it’s an intriguing idea, and one we felt we could something really cool with. If Poland chooses to go for the Between the Seas Concept they can set up an entire faction of their own. Although the Balkans are rocky ground for Poland, the Baltic States was an option. Especially if Poland could make up with Lithuania after the rather unfortunate disagreement over the status of Wilno (or Vilnius, depending on which side you were on). So Poland has the option to carve out its own little mini-faction in the center of Europe. From there it is up to a skillful Polish player to grow their alliance and stand strong against both East and West.

Equipment and names
For the Polish DLC we wanted Poland to feel like a fully fleshed out country. This included the names of equipment, which is a challenge for a country that wasn't too active in the research department after 1939. We therefore had to resolve to our least favorite tool when it comes to historical research: making things up.

If we look at ships, the Polish Navy during World War II was just a few destroyers and submarines. However, it gave us something to work with, and so for the names of more advanced classes we tried to followed the same naming convention as the ones we did have information for. That leaves only a slightly small gap, namely every other ship class. Time to get creative!

For light cruisers we went for Polish cities. As an added bonuses the naming order is by population size in the 1930s, a fun little detail for Polish fans. When it came to Heavy Cruisers we chose rivers in Poland, those mighty arteries binding the country together. The first class is named after the Polish Victory against the USSR in 1920 at the Battle of the Niemen (or course Poland would want to name a ship class after that). The follow up classes then get names after other rivers in Poland.

That's it for the easy ones, it’s time to dig a little deeper. We needed two names for Battlecruisers, and ultimately settled on territories that Poland felt were rightfully hers. For the mighty Battleships we went big and named them after Polish Royal dynasties. We saved the biggest man of Polish interwar politics for the biggest ship, the first Polish Super Heavy Battleship Class is the Pilsudski class. We needed two, though, so we also went for another famous Polish Marshall, Poniatowski (the man I am sure unbiased Polish historians agree would have won the Battle of Borodino, if only Napoleon would have released the Imperial Guard to support his flank attack). This left just the carriers and for ´those we went for Polish Kings, starting with the savior of Vienna, Jan Sobieski.

Next week we will be talking about tutorials, wiki and stuff like that. On wednesday we got another episode of World War Wednesday where Daniel & SteelVolt take the helm of communist France, and also more modding stream so make sure to tune in!

Also, remember to preorder so I can beg Fredrik for a real office T-34!

God, a Between the Seas faction Poland game sounds fun as hell, except I know I'll never, ever be good enough at HoI to pull it off.

edit: Also, I wonder what other nations might get minor DLCs like this. I feel like China probably deserves a whole expansion on a larger scale than this to flesh it out, so maybe Canada and Australia? The Netherlands? Spain?

Empress Theonora fucked around with this message at May 20, 2016 around 15:11

God, a Between the Seas faction Poland game sounds fun as hell, except I know I'll never, ever be good enough at HoI to pull it off.

edit: Also, I wonder what other nations might get minor DLCs like this. I feel like China probably deserves a whole expansion on a larger scale than this to flesh it out, so maybe Canada and Australia? The Netherlands? Spain?

I fully expect China to be one of the first, and also stuff for Canada/Australia, both Spains, and probably Sweden (because it's Paradox, even if Sweden didn't fight in the war) coming within 6 months.

Wait, why ? Is this controversial or something? This seems like a pretty good focus tree for a relatively minor power that has a chance - long though it may be - of becoming a real major player or kingmaker if played well. What's the problem here?

I fully expect China to be one of the first, and also stuff for Canada/Australia, both Spains, and probably Sweden (because it's Paradox, even if Sweden didn't fight in the war) coming within 6 months.

I'd be surprised if Hungary and Romania didn't get ones at some point. Maybe Czechoslovakia and Yugoslavia too if they're doing Poland?

I guess I don't understand why they can't use the regular war ensign. I understand that it contains the swastika and some people will be absolutely against anything with a swastika in it, but this is a historical game. If you don't like a historical symbol, don't play a historical game. In my humble opinion, "political correctness" (as long as law permits) should not override historicity when it comes to things like this. If German censorship laws require a different flag, then by all means, let the Germans have a different historical flag just like they have the darkened portraits. If this will not be done (which I realize it won't), then I agree that the edited flag should be scrapped and a different historical flag should be substituted for everyone.

We have something similar going on here in the US with Confederate symbols and monuments from our civil war. As a Civil War historian, this kind of thing really rubs me the wrong way.

Wait, why ? Is this controversial or something? This seems like a pretty good focus tree for a relatively minor power that has a chance - long though it may be - of becoming a real major player or kingmaker if played well. What's the problem here?

Intermarium (i.e. between the seas) has never been a very popular concept with our neighbours, mostly due to the fact that it always assumed that Poland would lead such a pan-slavic alliance. This idea was further bastardised by the far-right, which advocated for a rebirth of a Polish Empire stretching from the Baltic to the Black Sea.

Also, the last thing you ever want to do is to name anything Polish after Polish historical figures. There will always be a large group convinced they were traitors.

This isn't political correctness, it's Paradox - a business - making a business decision to avoid any potential legal trouble in one specific national market saving them time and money in the long run.

I guess I don't understand why they can't use the regular war ensign. I understand that it contains the swastika and some people will be absolutely against anything with a swastika in it, but this is a historical game. If you don't like a historical symbol, don't play a historical game. In my humble opinion, "political correctness" (as long as law permits) should not override historicity when it comes to things like this. If German censorship laws require a different flag, then by all means, let the Germans have a different historical flag just like they have the darkened portraits. If this will not be done (which I realize it won't), then I agree that the edited flag should be scrapped and a different historical flag should be substituted for everyone.

We have something similar going on here in the US with Confederate symbols and monuments from our civil war. As a Civil War historian, this kind of thing really rubs me the wrong way.

If you have not been on the HoI4 forums I recommend it highly. If for nothing else than the fact that they have enabled the leader portraits as avatars. The amount of forum users who have chosen a forum avatar of a German general and post about the censorship of the game or Paradox's misleading practices is almost 100%

If you have not been on the HoI4 forums I recommend it highly. If for nothing else than the fact that they have enabled the leader portraits as avatars. The amount of forum users who have chosen a forum avatar of a German general and post about the censorship of the game or Paradox's misleading practices is almost 100%

My own personal discomfort notwithstanding, there's nothing wrong with somebody deciding to play as Germany if that's something they're okay with, since there are many different ways to engage with games about history, all of them valid.

If you're actually using a portrait of a Nazi general in full SS regalia as your avatar though you're probably a creep.

Intermarium (i.e. between the seas) has never been a very popular concept with our neighbours, mostly due to the fact that it always assumed that Poland would lead such a pan-slavic alliance. This idea was further bastardised by the far-right, which advocated for a rebirth of a Polish Empire stretching from the Baltic to the Black Sea.

Also, the last thing you ever want to do is to name anything Polish after Polish historical figures. There will always be a large group convinced they were traitors.

Lebensraum wasn't really a popular idea with Germany's neighbors either, and I doubt the USA waging a worldwide colonial war with Britain is a widely supported idea either. Focus trees have room for both historical and ahistorical (and even completely implausible) ideas and paths to take, since it's more fun that way. The rebirth of a Polish Empire should absolutely be a thing supported by the game, much the same way that a fascist USA invading Mexico as a gateway to South America is.

So I found this fantastic radio site that lets you pick a country and a decade and it'll take you through a playlist of popular music from the era. No idea how completely accurate it is, but it's going to be pretty great for HOI4 background music: http://radiooooo.com/

HOLY SHIT AM I A PRETENTIOUS DOUCHEBAG OR WHAT?
AND NOW I'M OFF TO HARASS ASIAN WOMEN AT STARBUCKS WITH DERANGED HAIKU (PLEASE HOLD ME)

I hope supply is easier in this game. I know that it's important to have real supply limitations in areas like Africa and parts of South America, but there should be an arduous way to solve it. Invading South America and turning it against its Yankee masters owns.

I guess I don't understand why they can't use the regular war ensign. I understand that it contains the swastika and some people will be absolutely against anything with a swastika in it, but this is a historical game. If you don't like a historical symbol, don't play a historical game. In my humble opinion, "political correctness" (as long as law permits) should not override historicity when it comes to things like this. If German censorship laws require a different flag, then by all means, let the Germans have a different historical flag just like they have the darkened portraits. If this will not be done (which I realize it won't), then I agree that the edited flag should be scrapped and a different historical flag should be substituted for everyone.

We have something similar going on here in the US with Confederate symbols and monuments from our civil war. As a Civil War historian, this kind of thing really rubs me the wrong way.

My favorite part is that he calls himself a "civil war" historian, like he's the Shelby Foote of the PDox forums.

If you have not been on the HoI4 forums I recommend it highly. If for nothing else than the fact that they have enabled the leader portraits as avatars. The amount of forum users who have chosen a forum avatar of a German general and post about the censorship of the game or Paradox's misleading practices is almost 100%

The level of betrayal I felt when Paradox announced their new DLC tore something from me that I'll never be able to recover. They tore away my ability to respect anything, and they tore away my ability to feel human.

Also yeah the dude who bought that red text is a pretty big idiot and probably could have given that :tenbux: to some charity for abused tanks.

Every day dozens of abused tanks have to be put to sleep for lack of repair facilities:
For just $10 a neglected Panther can have its final drive replaced, enabling it to enjoy life to the fullest for an almost 20km road march. Please donate today!

On the bright side that opens the possibility for a US player to reenact Sherman's march with Sherman tanks, although that's probably not what the modders had in mind.

I think they expect it to go the other way with some sort of Southern blitzkrieg strategy since both them and wehraboos are really into the whole underdogs who took on the world with superior strategy, willpower and genes while their opponents were idiotic butchers schtick.

Having Devs posting on the forums is great but it sure sucks when some random amateur historian thinks they know game development better than somebody who has been making games every day for years.

No, but see, you just don't get it. If they don't make tanks the best thing ever then that won't lead to research to give me gundams!!! Tanks are literally superior to every other form of warfare ever made and can only be made better by putting legs and wings on them, which is pretty obviously where Hitler was going before the war ended. The only reason those German tanks broke down invading Russia is because they didn't have ENOUGH wings and legs!!!! Any idiot can see this. Paradox should hire me for history consultation, obv.

No, but see, you just don't get it. If they don't make tanks the best thing ever then that won't lead to research to give me gundams!!! Tanks are literally superior to every other form of warfare ever made and can only be made better by putting legs and wings on them, which is pretty obviously where Hitler was going before the war ended. The only reason those German tanks broke down invading Russia is because they didn't have ENOUGH wings and legs!!!! Any idiot can see this. Paradox should hire me for history consultation, obv.

Pfft. The Russians would just design mechas that run on unrefined crude and could be stripped down and reassembled in 15 mins by an illiterate farm boy.